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Compare towns

Monrovia vs Arcadia

Next-door neighbors. The biggest differences: conserved land (+48.9 pts in Monrovia) and home values (+59% in Arcadia).

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Monrovia, CAAn outdoors townCalifornia · 37,571 people
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Arcadia, CAHomes around $1.38MCalifornia · 55,170 people
Where each one shines

Two towns, two different strengths

What each town does better than most of its state (not better than each other). Tap one to see the page behind it.

The biggest differences

Where they part ways

The rows below where the towns are furthest apart, beyond the Census margin of error. The full table is further down.

★ What stands out · Monthly cost

A typical home costs $2,350 more a month in Arcadia

A typical home in each town, bought with 20% down at 6.3% for 30 years, plus property tax at the town’s own rate and insurance. Change the numbers to fit you.

Monrovia$5,690/mo
Typical home $980K (Zillow) · tax rate 0.68% · or rent about $2,114/mo · Housing →
Arcadia$8,040/mo
Typical home $1.38M (Zillow) · tax rate 0.69%+ · or rent about $2,191/mo · Housing →

The difference: $2,350 a month, about $28,300 a year, between Arcadia and Monrovia.

Estimates, not a quote: your price, rate, tax bill and insurance will differ. Tax rate = the Census median tax bill over the median home value; “+” means the Census top-codes that town’s bill at $10,000, so its real rate is higher.

Where they are

Monrovia and Arcadia share a border

And the people who already live in one and work in the other.

MonroviaArcadiaMonroviaArcadia
Monrovia ↔ Arcadia3.7 miles apart · They share a border
Who commutes between them
783 Monrovia residents work in Arcadia (4.6% of its workers)
450 Arcadia residents work in Monrovia (2.1% of its workers)
Work & commute in Monrovia →
Report cards

Arcadia places higher on 15 of 25 CA lists

Our letter grades for safety, schools and health, then every California ranking list both towns are on. A grade is one measure; read the page behind it.

Life in each

What daily life feels like in each

The weather, the land, the history and the people, row by row. None of it is a grade: more snow is a plus to a skier.

Seasons
MonroviaArcadia
Snow a year0″0″
January low—46°F
July high—89°F
Growing season (days)—365d
Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)91st93rd
Outdoors & history
MonroviaArcadia
Conserved land56.7%7.8%
National Register places51
Archive photos1218
Famous people born here2340
Community
MonroviaArcadia
Library hours a week45 hrs60 hrs
Posts this month00
Neighbors joined00

A dot marks the most on each row. Climate: NOAA 1991–2020 normals at the nearest station. Hazard risk: FEMA National Risk Index, expected yearly damage vs U.S. towns.

Everything, side by side

What matters to you?

Pick a few. Those rows jump to the top and the best fit on each is marked. There’s no overall score: what matters is up to you.

MonroviaArcadia
People
Population 37,571Lowest 55,170Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census +3.7%Highest CA: +6.1% +0.6%Lowest CA: +6.1%
Median age 38.3±1.2Lowest about the CA average 43.9±1.1Highest 16% above CA
Kids under 18 21.7%±2.1Highest CA: 22% 20.9%±1.7Lowest CA: 22%
Monrovia and Arcadia are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+ 14.7%±1.4Lowest CA: 15.7% 20.6%±1.5Highest CA: 15.7%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 42.7%Lowest CA: 37.1% 57.4%Highest CA: 37.1%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 6.8%±1.1Lowest CA: 7.6% 7.9%±1.2Highest CA: 7.6%
Arcadia and Monrovia are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian $96,021±$5kLowest 3% below CA $113,516±$10kHighest 15% above CA
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $909,400±$25kLowest 24% above CA $1,441,800±$74kHighest 96% above CA
Rentmedian gross, monthly $2,114±$81Lowest 4% above CA $2,191±$68Highest 8% above CA
Arcadia and Monrovia are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly $6,178Lowest 21% above CA $10,000+Highest at least 95% above CA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 54.9%±5.8Lowest CA: 55.3% 58.5%±5.7Highest CA: 55.3%
Arcadia and Monrovia are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line 10.3%Highest CA: 12% 8.6%Lowest CA: 12%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes 46.3%Lowest CA: 55.9% 58.1%Highest CA: 55.9%
Typical home builtmedian year 1962Lowest 14 yrs older than CA 1965Highest 11 yrs older than CA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way 30 minHighest 5% above CA 29 minLowest about the CA average
Work from home 18%±2.3Lowest CA: 17.2% 22.7%±2.8Highest CA: 17.2%
Arcadia and Monrovia are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Work in townworking residents 8%Lowest 10.5%Highest
Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 14.8 miHighest 12.3 miLowest
Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 1.05Lowest 1.15Highest
Top workplaceoutside town Los Angeles (23%)Los Angeles (22%)
Between these townsresidents who work in the others 5% work in Arcadia2% work in Monrovia
Outdoors
Conserved landshare of the town 56.7%Highest 7.8%Lowest
Trailsmapped miles 28.7 miHighest 10.3 miLowest
Trail densitymiles per sq mi 2.1 miHighest 0.9 miLowest
Parks & preservesnamed on the map 12Lowest 18Highest
Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 42.5Lowest 95.0Highest
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading #170 of 574 in CA#237 of 574 in CA
School district Monrovia UnifiedArcadia Unified
High school in town Monrovia HighArcadia High
Students per teacherat that high school 24.9Highest 24.7Lowest
California average“±” Census margin of errorACS 2020–2024
Deciding?

Ask the people who live there

The numbers stop at the town line. Neighbors can tell you about the commute at 7am, the schools, the winters and the feel of the place.

Monrovia neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Monrovia’s Town Square.

Arcadia neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Arcadia’s Town Square.

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Bordering Monrovia

Towns like Monrovia

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2010 & 2020 censuses, LEHD commute flows; Zillow Home Value Index; NCES Common Core of Data; FBI crime reporting; CDC PLACES; FEMA National Risk Index; NOAA U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020; USGS PAD-US and OpenStreetMap. “±” is the Census margin of error; differences inside it are never called. Property tax is top-coded by the Census at $10,000+. There is no overall score: which town is better depends on what matters to you.

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